The Incorrigible Rake

by Sheila Walsh

Lovely Charis Winslade finds herself pursued by the dashing rake Major Daniel Hammond

Genres: Regency, Romance, Historical Romance

223 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 2, 1984

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Born Sheila O'Nions in 1928 in Birmingham, England, UK. During the Second World War, her family moved to Southport, Lancashire, where she met Des Walsh, son of the Thomas Walsh, who had a jewelry store at 39 Chapel Street since 1926. In 1950, Sheila married with Des Walsh, and they had two daughters, Fran Walsh and Tess Walsh. Sheila worked during years in her husband's familiar jewelry store, with her husband, her husband elder brother Gerard and his wife Dorothy[2].

In 1971, Sheila joined the Southport Writers' Circle, and years later, in 1986 was elected life president. In 1980 she became the vice-president of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and later elected Chairman (1985-1987).

Her debut novel, The Golden Songbird, won the Netta Muskett award for new writers from the Romantic Novelists' Association, and in 1984, her novel, A Highly Respectable Marriage won the Elizabeth Goudge award.

Sheila Walsh died on 20 January 2009, at 80.

Reviews

[Nightwitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I somehow manage to forget that back in the day there was an entire subgenre of regency romance novels that were... this, essentially: Heyer lite, heavy on the historical research and the twittery adventurous young heroines. This was kind of a prime example of that. It really didn't bear much resemblance to the back cover copy, which implies that this is an organized, structured romance. Instead it felt like a romp through romance tropes - the heroine has a twin brother! Sometimes she pretends to be him! Oh boy it's Wellington making a cameo! Now they're going to Brussels! Oh, here's a rake! Here are French people! Here are spies! What's Tristan (the heroine's feckless brother) getting up to now? Charis is exposed to The Horrors of War! Charis does some sketches! There's a comic relief housekeeper! There's a declaration of love! Now there's a sexy marquesa! Oooh, a kidnapping! It's a lot and it doesn't flow together particularly well, but the whole was fairly unobjectionable.

[Mary23nm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very disappointing ending! I thought there might be pages missing, but apparently not. Heroine goes to sleep and her fiance will go to war. We don't get to know about any of the other characters. Everything just left hanging.
I also didn't like that it looks like the hero cheats (starting the same day as the break-up) when an old lady friend shows up and the heroine gets upset and breaks off the engagement. He blames it all on the fiance and never apologizes. (I usually like this author). It still merits 3 stars.

[Spazfungus · Rating 1 out of 5]

nonsensical maneuvering, a simple plot is forced through numerous contrived circumstances in order to fulfill page count. Title is misleading, Daniel seems neither incorrigible nor a rake

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****Spoiler Summary****
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Due to rain, Charis runs right into Daniel, he kisses her. Charis's twin, Tristan, gives her work he is too lazy to do. Daniel declares he loves Charis, she is frightened. All goto Brussels, meet crazy landlady, Charis accepts Daniel, becomes engaged, Charis frightened Daniel, as a solider, of being killed. All goto Paris, discover and stop a plot to kill Wellington and Louis. Return to Brussels, landlady kills husband, dies, Tristan loves the daughter, grows up, joins fighting, Napoleon escapes, war begins. In the rain, Charis runs right into Daniel, decide to marry immediately, she is no longer afraid

[Donnalee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, uneven--I like the author, but found the effort to combine small-girly-romance world with international spy activity not excellently done. They go to Brussels in late 1814, so any Regency reader will know Big Things Happen within months, but before that, it all seems girly smalltown and it didn't quite match up for me.

almost-spoiler for end



The odd cliffhanger at the end seemed impractical--

[Patrizia · Rating 3 out of 5]

In terra di ciechi, come si dice, un orbo è re.
Se non fossi uscita delusa dalla lettura di due tra le scrittrici che consideravo più 'sicure', Dorothy Mack e Mimi Andrews, non credo che avrei assegnato tre stelle a questo romanzo: troppo sopra le righe dal punto di vista sentimentale, con protagonisti troppo contraddittori...
Ma, in fondo, si tratta di una buona storia, la battaglia di Waterloo fa sempre la sua bella impressione e, come dicevo, in giro non c'è un granché di meglio.

[Lowla12 · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author was not in control of her plot or characters. Fine, the genre format usually requires a misunderstanding, but the way the main one worked out and the timing of it was so contrived and seemed completely against who the characters are developed into that it lost me at that point.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is a favorite of mine, the books that I've read of hers find a place on the keeper shelf and this book is no exception. The main characters Charis and Dan interaction wonderfully done. The storyline and secondary characters written very well. Even though premise is regency formula ,it takes place over a longer time than usual so there is growth in the story and H/h.Timeline at the beginning Napoleon is exiled on Elba, ends with Waterloo looming on the horizon.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked many of the aspects of this one. Walsh's placement of the storyline in history felt solid, her use of the twin brother and sister as the focal point delivered more depth to the descriptions, and the characters were easy to like. I was a little disappointed that it ended in media res, but still enjoyed it.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Masquerade number 194.
Published as The Incorrigible Rake by Signet in the US
A Regency romance about a rakish officer.